The Inland Revenue and Customs tax collecting department of the UK Treasury?

Question

The Inland Revenue and Customs tax collecting department of the UK Treasury have lost the personal details of nearly half the population.

This includes names, addresses, telephone numbers, Bank and Building Society details and more.

Assuming that this information will fall into criminal hands.
If you were a criminal how would yo use it?

Answer 1

I could say since I have had anti-fraud training but it would give peeple ideas - especially those that might acquire the information.

Answer 2

Why did they say it? Cuz its true... Many people claim to understand economics, but they never studied it. These are the ones that drop out of Econ Classes. Or, these are the ones that have econ experience, but are bought and paid for by big money interests, so while they do have the education, they choose not to use it, except maybe to falsely prove whatever scam it is they are pushing. For example Reagon's Trickle Down Economics, where they pushed the idea that tax breaks for the super rich will eventually make their way down to the lower income earners. This has been completely discredited and those that continue to push is are doing their countrymen a huge disservice in doing so. There is a point where taxes are too little and there is a point where taxes are too much. This would be determined by how much money was needed to run the country and how much money people would pay before basically exiting the tax pool (which wouldn't really happen that often, though people do put their money in off shore banking accounts). We operate at the point that mostly benefits the rich and hurts everybody else. The tax rate on the richest is much too low. It should be at or around 55% at the lowest for the super rich. However, the really really rich are taxed through things like Capital Gains and taxes on stocks and whatnot. Those taxes should be raised as well, since they are basically rich taxes. Things like sales tax, gas tax, and any other tax we encounter in every day life is a poor tax. Poor people have to eat, therfor, poor people pay a lot of taxes. These types of taxes should be done away with for the most part, or significantly lowered.

Answer 3

Identity theft, I suppose; but the criminal concerned would need a workforce almost equal to HMRC themselves to take full advantage.

But I expect all they've done is shred the wrong stuff, and hit the delete key instead of save, when leaving for lunch; so the information isn't actually out there.

Answer 4

Reardwen - they havent shredded anything, they posted computer discs with 25 millions peoples details in the post via royal mail and its got lost. They didnt even send it recorded delivery! So it is something to worry about, yes they do still have the original records, but the copies are missing in the royal mail system. God help us!

Answer 5

Info such as this can be more than useful for the Criminals it would only take minutes to crack a code on a Bank Account and hey presto their in.NI numbers are handy for forgers,as is names and addresses for Passport forgery to mention only a few.This government couldnt organise a p..ss up at a Brewery.lazy,complacent,liars but they never deliver.

Answer 6

iwould drain their bank accounts.on second thoughts that would be a waste of time these poor souls dont have any money. anythingelse i wouldnt have a clue

Answer 7

i think considering many of the politicians have children,so their details are bound to be on there, i would steal their identities and see how they like it.

I bet it would never happen again.

Answer 8

LOZIELLA WAKE UP SOMEONE TELL HER IT WAS TNT NOT ROYAL MAIL STOP KNOCKING OURSELVES WE SEEM SO GOOD AT MAKING OURSELVES THE BADDIES
Edit somebody e mail the good lady and explain it was tnt not royal mail